Hi...am going on the Navigator and was concerned about the virus's on board. Yes, I know people bring them in....I noticed one lady throwing up on the BUS BEFORE she boarded our cruise and I stayed away from her, although, being in healthcare...I felt so guilty for doing that.
Back to CDC. The Navigator got a 97 score. I read the reports and they said that they found several kitchen problems including the staff not being clean....and the temperatures of the food not warm enough.
Are they FORCED to "up" their cleanliness programs or are they content to get a passing grade of 80?
There are many ships with a perfect 100. Why does the Navigator consistantly have problems with their kitchens? What can WE do about it????
Thank you!

Mike M

March 9th, 2005 03:47 PM

Re: ships CDC scores

If you are referring to Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas it has received scores of:

8/7/04 97
1/21/04 98
8/6/03 98
2/1/03 95

All of these are pretty darn good. If you are basing your opinion of the ship not being clean on the CDC report then I think you may be taking things a bit too literally. The CDC inspectors will always find something that can be improved upon.

If you look at the reports of the ships that score 100 there will still be problems found and there are recommendations of corrective actions that need to be taken. Food not stored, properly, cutting boards that need replacing, etc.

Here is a link where you can look at all the CDC reports for all ships that are inspected.

If a ship receives a score below 85 they have to correct it. They are reinspected in 30-45 days and if not corrected they can be stopped from taking passengers onboard in U.S ports.

Take care,
Mike

Jim Bragg

March 9th, 2005 07:25 PM

Re: ships CDC scores

Those scores are pretty high IMHO. The only time you need to be concerned is if the ship has two or more very low scores as that would indicate something amiss. I have seen a ship get a 98 or 99 one time and a 72 the next and then bacvk to 98 again. Sometimes an inspector has a bad day and get nit-picky or they notice something they can really dock them for. One case I am thinking about where a great ship got a horrible score once was because they were loading the freezer and the door was open, (duh, they were loading it), and the temp was not at the minimum! All they had to do was shut the door for 5 minutes but the inspector was in a bad mood so....
Jim

I'm sorry if I got everyone upset! I was just concerned about the Norovirus...and the fact that some of the kitchen workers weren't washing their hands properly..and were not cooling the food properly. It was in the report from the CDC!
I owned a cooking school, and I reviewed restaurants...and I know what can go wrong....I have delt with inspection supervisors! but it is the managers that make the difference between a "clean" restaurant...and workers and a not so clean one!
I keep hearing about he Navigator and how wonderful it is...but that the food is usually luke warm! This is a concern...and I wish I could somehow convey this to them.
Is there a way to write to them?
Sorry again...I am NOT picky...I just don't want to get sick because of MY health issues.
Hospitals and other institutions also cook for 3000 per day. lol...should I say more???
ha...hospital food is usually terrible! lol

Jim Bragg

March 10th, 2005 12:59 PM

Re: ships CDC scores

I don't think anyone is upset with you at all. You of course have the right to be concerned but I think most of us are trying to convey the fact that the ships are really very well maintained and kept. The Norovirus is not really spread though food but rather from people who do not wash thier hands spreading it through contact be it from handrails or other things they touch etc and you touching your face or mouth area afterwards, Yes good personal hygine is the biggest factor in preventing it from happening to you but it is still possible no matter how much you try. Overall I would have to say that ships are much usually cleaner than other enviroments such as schools, hospitials, or other public areas and building.
Jim

SoCalGal

March 10th, 2005 06:51 PM

Re: ships CDC scores

There's no place dirtier than a hospital...just ask any nurse. I was recently reading an article in the L.A. Times about why we get these viruses...sort of interesting. Our society has become too clean at times, so we have not built up an immunity to many diseases that don't bother most people in third world countries. So let your kids play in the mud and roll in the dirt! In the long run they'll be stronger for it.

Post Edited (03-10-05 18:52)

borntocruisejp

March 11th, 2005 12:16 AM

Re: Re: ships CDC scores

Jim Bragg, during my last cruise on Conquest in January, I was concerned because there were no paper towels in the restrooms. I normally use the paper to dry my hands, turn off the water, & open the door,all while using the paper. I then dispose of the paper at the nearest waste station. While on Conquest I did not get a stomach virus, I contracted a severe head cold & I feel as though I may have contracted it from touching restroom doors (pull in).I saw several females leave the restroom without washing. On my next cruise on Mariner in April I will take my own paper to dry after restroom use open doors & ect . The boat may score an overall high in the kitchen & elsewhere, but the bad germs are more than likely coming from the passengers, they are the ones with poor hygiene habits making the majority sick. I would love to see paper back on the ships again. I know this would be an extra expense, but well worth in light of the reduction of the # of Norwalk problems& less complaints to the cruise lines. Regardless, i will cruise till I die.I hope your wife is recovering in good order and you & she have many more cruises!!!!!!!!!!

I appreciate all the time & effort you spend on these boards. You do a great job

fasteddie

March 11th, 2005 05:50 AM

Re: ships CDC scores

This reminds me of the show "Monk". <G> Be ready at a moments notice to pull out the wipes any time you touch something.

Ed

Jim Bragg

March 11th, 2005 06:22 PM

Re: ships CDC scores

I have to agree with borntocruise, I too like they paper towels but notice that many places have gone to the blow-dryer to eliminate the paper towel mess and is supposed to be more sanitary. Hello? Those used towels should still be somewhat clean as they are used to wipe your hands after you wash them? <G> IMHO it may be more costly but I personally would rather have the paper towels. As for your cold, if it showed up less than 48 to 72 hours after you borded you propbably picked it up before you got on the ship. Airplanes for those that fly are horrible places to pick up colds.
Jim

dantam

March 11th, 2005 07:44 PM

Re: ships CDC scores

it would be wise to carry a sm bottle of purell or whatever of hand cleaner in your bp or fanny pack, no towels are needed. i noriced my aunt while she was visiting in fla, wherever she went with my children, everything that she or they touched she had the "sanitary'" HANDWASH it may not be a cureall, but it sure as hell is better then nothing. i just need to remember to put it on our list, cruising apr 10th on costa, been on carnival 4 times, and when i first moved to fla in the 80s we went on the BIG RED BOAT actually the smallest ship that i have ever been on it was my first time cruising so i was impressed at the time, anyone out there remember the big red boat, whatever have a nice cruise

dantam danny tammy

dimama

March 13th, 2005 10:19 PM

Re: ships CDC scores

regarding norovirus:

Jim, yes it can be spread in food. In fact, according to the CDC, about 50% of cases are traced to contaminated food, 25% via person to person contact (often by a vector like handrail, spoon...), and 25% unknown transmission.

The most common cause of food contamination? A food handler who has been sick within the past 2-3 days. It is VERY easy for a contaminated worker to transmit the virus to the food, and from there to the consumer. This is why food handlers are not supposed to handle food for 2-3 days after they are sick. And the sanitation scores and compliance are very important, because this virus is very resiliant and can survive freezing and similar inhospitable environments.

Am I worried about this? Not really. What most people call "the flu", or nausea/vomiting/diarrhea, is really "gastroenteritis", with viruses being a major cause. Again, the CDC estimates about 50% of these cases are caused my norovirus. Are all of these people on cruise ships? No! Most people get this virus from a restaurant, food buffet (hospital, cafe), or at home or someone else's house. Maybe because I am eating out more on the ship my odds are increased, but given that something like less than 0.01% of cruise ship passengers get norovirus, there is a good chance I won't be that 1 in 10000!

If you would like more information (yeah, right!), just do a search for norovirus on the CDC homepage. There is a lot of useful information there.

Happy cruising!

steph_texas

March 14th, 2005 02:46 AM

Re: ships CDC scores

this thread makes me think of my son... he REFUSES to use public restrooms, will NOT sit @ a dirty table in restaraunt until its been cleaned and now get this... will NOT try on clothes if the dressing room is dirty ! He is very "cautious" for a 14 yr old... he doesnt touch handrails, hates to touch shopping carts and the list goes on... its really funny @ times... but truth be known, its a serious phobia. We cant change him, so we live with it....

happy sails y'all -
Steph

shelleybean

March 14th, 2005 05:55 AM

Re: ships CDC scores

Steph,
Im the same way and I wont push a grocery cart without wiping the handle....I see now
some stores have a dispenser with wipies so you can wipe down....all that and I still
got the flu....go figure...Its not a serious phobia its just cautious good for him....